Your questions answered.
Have a question? We've answered our most frequently answered questions about mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy right here. If you want to know something we haven't covered, please check our research links or get in touch.
01
Is mild HBOT safe?
Yes, very safe. There are no adverse side effects, so it is much safer than many conventional medicines and treatments. We start off with low pressures and short time frames, and gradually build up from there. The only sensation you will feel is a 'popping' sensation in your ears as the chamber pressurises, just like you do when flying in an aeroplane. At higher pressures some people may feel some pain in their inner ear, but this is very rare in mHBOT, and is the reason we gradually increase pressure, and the length of time spent in the chamber. I did feel pain in my ear when I was suffering from a sinus infection at 1.3ATA, but this disappeared when I lowered the pressure to 1.15ATA.
02
What happens when I come in for a trial?
You will come to our premises in Auckland or Canterbury and trial our soft-shell chamber for up to 30 minutes. We will give you your own brand new nasal cannula to use. You can sit down and ask as many questions as you like, then experience the chamber yourself. If you like, you can have a support person with you, who can sit in the room with you while you are in the chamber. You can communicate with Mike or Deb at any stage during the process by cellphone. The whole process will take just over an hour.
03
What do I do when I'm inside the chamber?
Anything you like! You can sleep, read a book, study, answer emails, make phone calls, or scroll mindlessly through your social feed. Rest and relax or use the time to be productive, while your body gets saturated with life-giving oxygen.
04
What happens if I'm claustrophobic?
If you struggle with anxiety in small, enclosed spaces, you may struggle to be inside the chamber. Sometimes, introducing you to the chamber in gentle stages helps with this. Talk to us first and we'll do our best to help you feel as safe and comfortable as possible if you decide to give it a go.
05
What does it feel like inside the chamber?
You will feel a popping sensation inside your ears, just like on an aeroplane, as the air pressure increases or decreases. You will also have a nasal cannula or face mask on, breathing 95% oxygen. Afterwards, many people feel quite tired, and sleep really well that night. Others come out bursting with energy immediately. It depends on you, and how your body responds.
06
Which conditions have a research base demonstrating mHBOT effectiveness?
First, we want to reiterate - mHBOT doesn't 'cure' anything! But it does hugely enhance your body's ability to heal itself. Following an mHBOT protocol, the human body has shown a wonderful ability to respond markedly and significantly to the following conditions, even years after they first presented: - Concussion - Post Concussion Syndrome - Traumatic Brain Injury - Covid 19, and especially long Covid - Neurological issues such as cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease - Fogginess, memory-loss, fatigue, loss of energy - Inflammatory diseases such as arthritis - Fibromyalgia - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Aging - Athletic Recovery
07
Is there a solid research base to HBOT and mHBOT?
Yes, definitely! Have a look at the 'Research Links' page for more details. There are plenty of solid, scientific, peer-reviewed articles with great results, mostly using evidence of a type called 'Real World Experience', or RWE. However, it is impossible to do what researchers call 'randomised, controlled' trials or RCT, which is seen as the gold standard of scientific research trials. This is because you can't do HBOT on someone without them knowing, which you can do if you are trialling a new drug in tablet form, for example. International Health Technology Assessment criteria which assesses whether treatments are efficacious or not, typically only include evidence based on RCT trials, not RWE trials, which means that treatments such as HBOT have struggled to receive mainstream acceptance within the medical establishment. Thankfully, although there is a long way to go, the use of RWE evidence is increasingly accepted in scientific circles. This means that all of those thousands of people like Mike, who have got their lives back by using HBOT, are now starting to be listened to.
08
How long has HBOT been around?
Hyperbaric Therapy was first documented 350 years ago, and by the late 1800's there were several reports of hyperbaric therapy being available to members of the public. The next development was the addition of supplemental oxygen in 1917 to assist decompression after diving accidents. HBOT was then primarily used to treat divers up until the 1950's, when doctors and scientists discovered the wider therapeutic benefits of HBOT. Since then the use of HBOT has become much more widespread, particularly overseas. Over the last few years in particular there has been an explosion of interest and research regarding the benefits of HBOT and mHBOT in treating a very wide range of conditions, with new research being published almost every week. It is rapidly expanding overseas, and New Zealand is slowly catching up!
09
Is mHBOT still useful even if I'm not unwell?
Absolutely. Even if there is nothing "clinically" wrong with you, mHBOT will reduce fatigue, increase your energy, and reduce inflammation which is a major issue for many people today, due to our busy, stressful lives. mHBOT also helps stimulate the production of stem cells, which have a unique ability to transform into any cell type (blood cells, nerve cells etc), and they can also repair damaged tissue.
10
Can I overdose?
Not with mild HBOT, no. Oxygen toxicity is possible at higher pressures than our chambers go to, but even then it is extremely unlikely in the hands of a skilled technician. Mike is a Certified Intermediate Hyperbaric Technician.
11
What's the difference between HBOT and 'mild' HBOT?
The difference is in the amount of atmospheric pressure inside the chamber. Standard HBOT therapies in 'hard-shell' chambers can go up to 2.4ATA, or even higher. These require skilled and experienced technicians, and are found in hospitals all over New Zealand. They treat conditions such as crush injuries, infections and diabetic wounds where blood (and therefore oxygen) cannot reach. Mild HBOT typically goes no higher than 1.3 ATA, uses 'soft shell' chambers which are transportable, and is very safe.
12
Can I allow other people to use the chamber when I have it in my home?
Absolutely you can. There is no limit on the number of hours you use the chamber while you are renting it. In fact, you can even sub-lease it yourself to help pay for the cost of hiring one in your own home. You will need to purchase additional nasal cannula though at $10 each - it is not hygienic to share these with others. Please note you cannot move the chamber yourself - once it is installed by our team in your home, it needs to stay where it is until the end of your rental, when we will return to collect it.
13
Is mHBOT safe during pregnancy?
There isn't enough research on the use of mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or HBOT during pregnancy, so at this stage we would prefer to be cautious and advise against it. We just don't have the statistics available to be sure.
14
How long does it usually take to see results?
Everyone is different. I started to see results in less than two weeks of using the chamber every day for 60 minutes a time. Some people see results much faster. Forty sessions is often quoted as the gold standard for individuals, but this can vary hugely. I now have 5 x 90 minute sessions per week. The most important thing to realise is that your body starts to repair itself immediately, at the cellular level, during your very first session. You may or may not feel it straight away, but believe me your body is healing, regenerating and getting better!
15
Does HBOT cure cancer?
There are some HBOT advocates claiming that the therapy has 'cured' them of cancer. We are much more cautious than this, and argue that HBOT doesn't 'cure' anything. What it does do is gives your body some great ammunition to fight cancer itself. It also helps you recover much faster from the demands of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
16
Does HBOT really reverse aging?
Yes, according to Israeli scientists. They calculated the biological age of 35 adults over the age of 64, by measuring the damage caused to chromosomes through the natural aging process. After five HBOT treatments of 90 minutes per week, over a period of three months, and with varying rates of oxygen, the scientists measured the chromosomes again. They found that, at a cellular level at least, the participants bodies' were now the same as they had been 25 years earlier! Professor Shai Efrai said "This study is proof that the cellular basis for the aging process can be reversed", and that it “gives hope and opens the door for a lot of young scientists to target aging as a reversible disease.”